What's on the Menu for Christmas?

[jaysonsmom]

I'm making a pizza dip with toasted french bread rounds for appetizer

For dinner:
Prime rib roast
Grilled Salmon with fried onions on top
Roasted Veggies with balsamic Vingarette
Creamed Spinach
Roasted butternut squash
Wasabi whipped potatoes

 

[Indylady]

I'm making a pizza dip with toasted french bread rounds for appetizer

For dinner:
Prime rib roast
Grilled Salmon with fried onions on top
Roasted Veggies with balsamic Vingarette
Creamed Spinach
Roasted butternut squash
Wasabi whipped potatoes

That sounds absolutely amazing.

 

[distracts]

Christmas eve:
bean dip
chili
tamales
tres leches cake

Christmas day:
lasagna
chocolate cake

Of course, I'm tremendously sick and when I try to talk it comes out as barely-coherent squeaking, so I'm not going to Christmas eve party. We'll see about Christmas day.

 

[kalomeli]

Our Christmas table is relatively traditional for a Finnish people (except that we skip all the traditional food we don't like )...

Christmas ham
rutabaga, carrot, liver and malted potato casseroles
mushroom salad
both cold-smoked and hot-smoked salmon
Carelian pies
sauce made of broth from the ham, cream and Dijon mustard
with some nice Pinot Noir

Dessert
lemony white chocolate mousse

Cheese table
truffle cheese, six year old gouda, brie, cream cheese with garlic, goat milk cheese and smoked cheddar
crackers, pears and grapes

Yes, overeating is easy during the holidays...

 

[jaysonsmom]

Kalomeli, I went to my boss' house for a traditional Swedish Smorgesbord (sp)?) and it was similar to your menu, except we had a lot of pickled herring!

I loved and tried everything, including the pate's etc

 

[distracts]

Kalomeli, I went to my boss' house for a traditional Swedish Smorgesbord (sp)?) and it was similar to your menu, except we had a lot of pickled herring!

Our Swedish friends do pickled crawfish... my husband tried them once and told me to never try them, so I haven't. lol.

 

[dk168]

Christmas Day:

Bucks Fizz made with Asti (I do not like champagne)
Canapé - King prawn with Marie Rose Sauce on Ritz crackers topped with lumpfish caviar; smoked salmon on poppy and sesame seeds crackers with a creamy dill sauce made with mayonnaise, crème fraîche and Greek yoghurt, topped with lumpfish caviar
Starter - Baked mini Camembert studded with garlic pieces with toasted Ciabatta
Main course - Roast duck, marinated with Chinese 5-spice powder, garlic, ginger, light soya sauce and a dash of oil, with a tangy spicy plum sauce, pigs in blankets, roasted parsnips and spuds, and stir-fried vegetables
Cheeses - Roquefort, Époisses, and Camembert, with crackers
Dessert - my own Tiramisu
Plenty of red wine with the meal, and more cocktails throughout the day

Boxing Day:

Same canapé as before
Starter - Smoked mackerel pâté made with cream cheese and lemon juice, with Melba toasts
Main course - Ribeye steak with a garlicky blue cheese sauce, with roasted parsnips and spuds, stir-fried vegetables and onion rings
Same cheeses as before
Same dessert as before
Again, plenty of red wine with the meal, and cocktails throughout the day

Plenty of snacks in the house.

All these for just me and the pets, as I prefer to spend Christmas on my own, and cook myself some nice meals!

Merry Christmas everyone!

DK

 

[kalomeli]

Distracts, pickled nearly anything is on our the list of traditional food to skip! Neither of us are fans.

Jaysondsmom, great to know that you liked the smorgasbord as traditional cuisine in Finland and Sweden is rather similar. Actually it was a surprise to me how much difference there is between regional food traditions as I'm from the West Coast (Ostrobothnia - near Sweden) and my FI is from Carelia which is located near the Russian border (distance between our birthplaces is less than NYC and Pittsburgh!).

Our Christmas table only has our favourites and we (me and FI) decided to limit the amount of food that we'll be able to eat all of it before going to visit my parents (27t-30th)!

 

[Dandi]

Oh distracts, you poor thing, I hope you are feeling much much better for Christmas Day!

We are hosting dinner Christmas night. For nibbles:
Whoe prawns with tartare dipping sauce
Roasted cashews and macadamias
Cheese and pate platter

For dinner:
Roast pork and lamb on the rotisserie
Roast potatoes and carrots
Cauliflower and cheese bake
Baby peas
Wholemeal bread rolls and butter

For dessert:
Lemon meringue pie
Sticky date pudding with toffee sauce
Vanilla beam ice cream
Mum is a diabetic so dessert is out for her, so I've made a mini fruit salad with a dollop of vanilla yoghurt, just for her

And then commences the food coma

Everyone's menu sounds incredible!!!!

 

[Dancing Fire]

I'm making a pizza dip with toasted french bread rounds for appetizer

For dinner:
Prime rib roast

Save me a piece of MR...

 

[Rosebloom]

Goodness! We have some amazing chefs in our ranks

We'll be having:
Smoked turkey
Sweet Corn bread (almost like a cake - so yummy)
Raw Kale salad with pomegranate, apple, hazelnuts, lemon vinaigrette
Cranberries
mashed sweet potatoes
S'mores for dessert!

 

[marcy]

Your menus all sound marvelous.

We had our family dinner Sunday and I served

Ham
Mac and cheese
Green bean casserole
Watergate salad
Fresh fruit
Rolls
Raw veggies
Pickles and olives
Cookies

Tomorrow my dad is coming over and we are having

Waffles and bacon for breakfast

Dinner will be

Roast beef
Mashed potatoes and gravy
Green bean casserole
Rolls
Cookies
Ice cream

 

[Trekkie]

Everyone's menus sound delicious! Didn't realise mac and cheese would be so popular over there!

We're having a semi-traditional coloured meal, mostly prepared by my (Muslim!) 74 year old grandmother!

White rice
Yellow rice with raisins
Chicken curry (mild)
Chicken curry (burn your bum hot!)
Mutton curry (mild)
Mutton curry (burn your bum hot!)
Mutton biryani
Chicken biryani
Hong Kong chicken
Chow mein
Mac and cheese
Roast potatoes
Roast chicken
Roast leg of lamb
Salt beef
Tongue
Ribs
Frikkadel
Little red peppers with frikkadel inside
Potato Salad
Green salad
Beetroot salad
Copper penny salad
Three different types of samosas
Little cocktail pies
Various veggie things for my uncle's latest girlfriend, The Vegetarian (I seriously have no idea what the woman's name is - that's what everyone refers to her as, including my uncle. Vegetarians are not very common in our culture)
Jelly and custard with canned fruit (my gran left this off the menu one year and my uncle not-so-jokingly threatened to put her in a home if she did it again)
Bread pudding
Malva pudding

We don't really do the starters thing. My gran just packs everything on the side board and in the kitchen and everyone grabs a plate and looks after themselves. It's an absolute free for all, complete with relatives I don't see any other time of year and random strays (my uncle's term) my gran finds. Neighbours pop in and can't leave without a plate (barakat - oh, the irony). It's crazy, but fun.

 

[Gypsy]

We had a lovely chopino for Christmas Eve. Served with fresh lingini.

And we're having friends over for brunch.

Serving:
A ham with red current glaze.
Soft scrambled eggs.
Country potatoes with parsley, scallions, and bell pepper.
Cream scones with clotted cream and jam.
Fresh baked croissants.
grilled pineapple

And I believe there will be home made red velvet cupcakes as well. My guest is an AWESOME baker.

 

[zoebartlett]

I'm not sure if we're having breakfast at my parents' house or not. If so, my mom makes these giant popovers which she serves with powdered sugar, fruit salad, syrup, and butter.

As far as dinner goes, it'll be Thanksgiving all over again: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, maybe green bean casserole, rolls, pie, etc. I think we're having shrimp cocktail and a cheese platter too.

 

[ruby59]

Turkey with bread stuffing
Baked ham
lasagna
antipasto
Baked potatoes / sweet potatoes
Broccoli / glazed carrots
Fresh mushrooms

Homemade apple pie with ice cream
Homemade brownies
Homemade cookies

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Christmas Eve:

scallops wrapped in bacon

roast beef tenderloin with béarnaise
lobster
crab
garden salad

chocolate tarts


I just made scones for breakfast and served them with organic fig jam and clotted cream

For Christmas dinner, we are going to the Hyatt.

cheers--Sharon

 

[kalomeli]

Everyones Christmas menus sound just delicious!

 

[JewelFreak]

I'm gettin ready, just reading your menus. Trekkie, you've got a truly global menu coming up!

Christmas Eve, we always have oyster stew (I switched to oyster chowder for DH) -- it was our always-Christmas-Eve dinner when I was a kid, when my mother was a kid, when her mother was, ad infinitum, I guess. Garlic bread. Chocolate panna cotta.

Tonight for dinner, beef tenderloin w/mushroom sauce, brussels sprouts w/bacon & garlic, salad w/gorgonzola dressing & more of last night's dessert.

I want to come to many of your houses!

--- Laurie

 

[jaysonsmom]

I'm making a pizza dip with toasted french bread rounds for appetizer

For dinner:
Prime rib roast
Grilled Salmon with fried onions on top
Roasted Veggies with balsamic Vingarette
Creamed Spinach
Roasted butternut squash
Wasabi whipped potatoes

I forgot to mention, that my sister-in laws are bringing other appetizers and desserts:
Queso dip for my kids
pumpkin pie
Christmas cookies

My brother and cousin are supplying the drinks....wine, sparkling cider, beer

 

[packrat]

We're pretty plain jane. Turkey ball in the crockpot w/chicken broth. Mashed baby reds w/gravy. Mom's green bean casserole (she puts cheese in it mmmmm) and sweet potatoes. Buns. Pumpkin pie and peach pie.

 

[luv2sparkle]

It was just six of us, so we made: Prime Rib roast, hash brown casserole (DD favorite, at her request!) sausage apple stuffing, homemade rolls with butter and roasted balsamic brussel sprouts with parmesan cheese. For desert, pumpkin pie and banana cream pie, both from scratch. This year everyone pitched in and cooked. One son made the pumpkin pie, and one the banana cream pie. I instructed. DD made the potatoe cassorole, hubby the roast and me the stuffing and rolls. For the first time, DH and I didn't feel overworked but totally enjoyed the day.

 

[Gypsy]

Our brunch was a success. Which was great cause I was worried about the ham. NO NEED THOUGH!

If anyone wants a REALLY good ham, FYI, this is what we bought this year: http://www2.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11896881&whse=BD_563&Ne=1515+4000000&eCat=BD_563|11122&N=4036469&Mo=75&No=64&Nr=P_CatalogName:BD_563&Ns=P_Price|1||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C&topnav=national

When you buy it in the store its less expensive. I think I paid 2.79 a pound. And I bought an 8.5 ham.

It ROCKED. I've been trying hams every year for 4 years, and this is by far the best. And TOTALLY and completely easy. Just heat and glaze. The glaze is very sweet and I like a little tart in my glaze. The only thing I would do is add some acid to it like orange juice concentrate.


Looking forward to the left overs all ready!

 

[Skippy123]

I hosted brunch. It was easy!

Quiche Lorraine
Spinach Quiche
Big bowl of Raspberries and black Berries w/a side of sugar (nothing like delicious fresh berries)
blueberry Muffins
potatoes w/onions
applewood bacon
Green and red chile
and fresh Orange Juice


Gypsy, I think Costco sells good hams too!

 

[Gypsy]

I hosted brunch. It was easy!

Quiche Lorraine
Spinach Quiche
Big bowl of Raspberries and black Berries w/a side of sugar (nothing like delicious fresh berries)
blueberry Muffins
potatoes w/onions
applewood bacon
Green and red chile
and fresh Orange Juice


Gypsy, I think Costco sells good hams too!

Brunch's are the BEST holiday meals to host IMO. Breakfast food is super easy, a lot of prep work can be done in advance and some of the cooking too. You can add a nice green salad to make it lunch-y and also expand the menu if you get last minute additions (I had salad makings on reserve in the fridge, just in case, and now it will be dinner one night).

And since most people don't do fancy breakfasts at home, you get a lot of bang for buck by dressing up things a bit with a nice table and good homemade foods in generous variety.

Your menu sounds yummy. I love muffins and quiche. If you ever want to change it up, I've had great luck with this: http://www.marthastewart.com/315984/caramelized-leek-quiche..

This is our third year doing brunch and I'm hooked. Last year I did crab cakes and eggs benedict. Year before quiche and spanish omlette.

One of the best parts about it is that you get your evening to relax and just enjoy the holiday when you host a brunch.

I think next year I may try to make home made pumpernickel and egg bagels and get some nice smoked salmon.

 

[Trekkie]

I'm gettin ready, just reading your menus. Trekkie, you've got a truly global menu coming up!

Christmas Eve, we always have oyster stew (I switched to oyster chowder for DH) -- it was our always-Christmas-Eve dinner when I was a kid, when my mother was a kid, when her mother was, ad infinitum, I guess. Garlic bread. Chocolate panna cotta.

Tonight for dinner, beef tenderloin w/mushroom sauce, brussels sprouts w/bacon & garlic, salad w/gorgonzola dressing & more of last night's dessert.

I want to come to many of your houses!

--- Laurie

Haha, thanks! Yeah, we tend to go a bit overboard and everything is very multi-cultural, especially the food! Your menu sounds delicious too - I'm drooling just thinking about it!

 

[aljdewey]

Christmas eve: Pork Tenderloin with mushroom sauce and wild ravioli mushrooms with tossed salad

Christmas day: Prime Rib Roast with Rosemary and Garlic; Homemade sausage, apple and pecan stuffing; another homemade stuffing w/mozzarella & raisins; honey roasted sweet potatoes; garlic and oregano roasted potatoes, roasted garlic mushrooms; boiled onions; homemade popovers, and olives.

 

[NTave]

I did a Christmas eve dinner.

Shrimp cocktail
Baby spinach and strawberry salad with homemade poppy seed dressing
Roasted red yams, brussel sprouts and carrots with rosemary
Dijon chicken in a puff pastry
Homemade Yule log (chocolate sponge cake with whipped cream) with meringue mushrooms

 

[partgypsy]

OMG these food lists are making me hungry even thought I just ate breakfast an hour ago! The Finnish meal sounds like some of my favorite things. DK are you sure you don't need company next year ?
For appetizers there is always at this time hard salami or summer sausage along with the bright orange cheese (port wine or cheddar) with crackers to snack on.
My husband has done this for a couple Christmases and it always goes over well. A pan of "red" enchiladas (covered in cheese and red enchilada sauce) and a pan of "green" enchiladas (covered in a green chili cream sauce). Each pan is half spinach and almond enchiladas, and chicken enchiladas). With all the usual sides (black beans, yellow rice, salsa, lettuce, tomatoes, avocados).

And for dessert cranberry "pudding" (it is more like a cake) with hard sauce and homemade gingerbread cookies.

 

[Smith1942]

We had roast turkey, roast potatoes, carrots, Brussels sprouts, green beans, parsnips, cranberry sauce, bread sauce, stuffing, sausages wrapped in bacon, and gravy. For our sweet we had Christmas pudding with brandy sauce and brandy butter. And we also had mince pies.

For Boxing Day we had a ham with cold turkey, lentil soup, mashed potatoes, pickles including piccalilli, pickled onions, and pease pudding. And for dessert, more Christmas pudding with brandy sauce and brandy butter. And more mince pies! Oh - and we also had lots of Buck's fizz.

And got far too many sweets for Christmas. And have been taking advantage of all the home foods that I can't get in the States, such as Skips and Disco crisps, Jaffa cakes and cream teas. My thighs have expanded to the size of Buckinghamshire!